In which we visit Napa Valley, part 1

Okay, it seems all I ever talk about on this blog is wine tasting... I swear I do other things too.  But most of them are boring or aren't photogenic--who wants to read (and I don't want to write) about another day in the office, followed by a night reading, hanging out with my cat, or cooking a meal I have no recipe for.  So weekend adventures (which for the past few weekends have revolved around wine) are what I have to offer!

Since my boyfriend and I usually celebrate our birthdays together with a weekend trip away, and Zack's birthday fell close to the three day weekend of Valentine's Day and Presidents' Day, we decided to take advantage of Monday off with a slightly further trip.  During our senior year at Berkeley, our first mini vacation together was to Napa, only 45 minutes away.  Napa combines two of our favorite things: wine + cool architecture, so it was a no-brainer to head back up there for his birthday.  We lucked out for our lodging and we stayed with a family friend who's an instructor at the Culinary Institute (yes, his cooking is as amazing as you're imagining).  Another highlight was some of the tours we took; since this was my sixth (!) trip to Napa, we enjoyed exploring some off-the-beaten path wineries and vineyards.

To be honest, going back to Napa after wine tasting in Portland and Santa Barbara for the past two years was a bit jarring at the beginning.  While the Willamette Valley and Santa Ynez Valley both retain their rural, undeveloped atmosphere, Napa can be busy, crowded, and as built up as a theme park at some places.  It took me a day to readjust and realign my expectations, but soon (the wine probably helped) I was happy as a clam.  There's nothing quite like relaxing on a sunny February day with a glass of wine overlooking the rolling hills of Northern California.  More on our favorite spots soon, but for now, cheers!  ;)